San Cristobal

About

Unlike many places in Mexico, San Cristobal wasn’t the site of a pre-Hispanic city. Instead, it began as a military fort founded by the conquistador Diego de Mazariegos in 1528. From then, it quickly grew into a thriving settlement, and served as the state capital until 1892. The historic heart of the city is a network of cobbled streets lined with colorful houses and beautiful colonial buildings. The airy main plaza is watched over by the clementine Cathedral, which was visited by Pope Francis in 2016. The city’s most beautiful building, however, is the nearby 17th century Templo Santo Domingo - a church and former convent with a stupendous Baroque facade and equally ornate gilded interior. While these bits of eye-candy stand out as individual sights, the true essence of San Cristobal comes from its primarily indigenous population whose influence can be seen in everything from hand-made ponchos to liquor and cuisine.